Buzzy Wilkinson Explained

Buzzy Wilkinson
Birth Date:18 November 1932
Birth Place:Pineville, West Virginia
Death Place:Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
Nationality:American
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
High School:Greenbrier Military School
(Lewisburg, West Virginia)
College:Virginia (1952–1955)
Draft Year:1955
Draft Round:3
Draft Pick:30
Draft Team:Boston Celtics
Career Position:Guard / forward
Highlights:

Richard Warren "Buzzy" Wilkinson (November 18, 1932 – January 15, 2016) was an American basketball player who was selected by the Boston Celtics in the third round (30th pick overall) of the 1955 NBA draft but never played in the NBA.[1] A 6'2" guard-forward from the University of Virginia and a prolific scorer, he averaged 32.1 points per game in his senior season of 1954-55, and totaled 2,233 points during his college career.[2] His number 14 was the first number retired in Virginia Cavaliers basketball history.

Named after a comic-strip character by his grandmother[3] Wilkinson's 1954-55 season scoring average is the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) all-time record, as is his career average of 28.6 points per game.[4] He was the ACC's leading scorer during each of the conference's first two years in existence. Wilkinson holds almost all of the ACC records for field goal attempts: most FG attempts in a game (44 vs. Duke, 1954); most FG attempts in a season (767, 1954); most FG attempts per game, season (28.4, 1954); and most FG attempts per game, career (27.4).

Post-playing career

He was the president and CEO of First Century Bank based out of Bluefield, West Virginia.[5] Wilkinson died on January 15, 2016, at the age of 83.[6]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Buzzy Wilkinson College Stats . 2024-02-04 . College Basketball at Sports-Reference.com . en.
  2. Web site: ccmadmin . 2017-08-25 . Richard "Buzzy" Wilkinson Virginia Sports Hall of Fame . 2024-02-04 . en-US.
  3. http://www.accessmylibrary.com/comsite5/bin/pdinventory.pl?pdlanding=1&referid=2930&purchase_type=ITM&item_id=0286-2773356 PLAYER OF THE DECADE: VIRGINIA; BUZZY WILKINSON, 6-3, G, 1954-55.(SPECIAL SECTION)
  4. http://raycomsports.com/sports_labs_docs/m-baskbl/2013-14_m-baskbl_guide.pdf 2013-14 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Media Guide
  5. Web site: Bluefield Daily Telegraph. Woodson. Brian. Buzzy readies to be honored. March 8, 2007. February 2, 2016.
  6. Web site: Ratcliffe . Jerry . UVa great Wilkinson dies at age 83 . . January 18, 2016 . January 19, 2016.